Traditionally, downhole components, such as tools are provided at a bottom hole assembly of a drill string to collect data concerning an operation of a wellsite, as well as conditions of the wellbore and formation surrounding the wellbore. For example, downhole components may include sensors to measure characteristics of the drill string, a borehole and the formation surrounding the borehole. The downhole components may measure formation characteristics, such as resistivity, porosity, and density. However, the downhole components require electrical energy to operate, collect and transmit the collected data upward to the Earth's surface. Electrical energy is often provided to the downhole components by a power source that is located at, within, or near the bottom hole assembly.
The bottom hole assembly or one of the downhole components may include the power source for generating electrical power, which is typically a battery or a mud turbine generator powered by flow of drilling fluid being pumped from a surface system at the Earth's surface into an interior of a drill string. However, regardless of the type of power source being utilized, a wired electrical connection must be established and maintained between the power source and each downhole component requiring electrical energy.
It is generally known that one or more wired electrical connections must be provided to electrically connect the power source and the downhole components. However, some downhole components are incapable of receiving, establishing and maintaining wired electrical connections with a power source. For example, the power source may not be able to electrically connect to these downhole components or may be unable to provide electrical energy required to operate sensors of these downhole components. Specifically, it is not uncommon for two or more downhole components to be separated by a non-wired downhole component which is not electrically connected to the power source. In such instances, at least two power sources are required—one power source for the downhole components on one side of the non-wired downhole component and a second power source for the downhole components on the opposite side of the non-wired downhole component.
Often, other characteristics or features of the non-wired downhole components and/or power source may prevent the power source from being electrically connected to the non-wired downhole components via one or more wired electrical connections. For example, the location or orientation of the non-wired downhole components with respect to the power source, an electrically-wired downhole component or the bottom hole assembly may prevent the non-wired downhole component from being electrically connected to the power source. Furthermore, the functionality or operations of the non-wired downhole component may not allow for wired electrical connections between the non-wired downhole component and the power source and/or the electrically-connected downhole component.
Thus, establishing and maintaining wired electrical connections between a non-wired downhole component and the power source and/or the electrically-connected downhole component is often very difficult or impossible. Without wired electrical connections between a non-wired downhole component and the power source and/or electrically-connected downhole connect, electrical energy can not be transmitted to the non-wired downhole component. As a result, the non-wired downhole component will not have the necessary electrical energy to operate or function unless an internal power source, such as a battery, turbine or alternator is provided within the non-wired downhole component. However, addition of the internal power source to the non-wired downhole component may be expensive, time consuming and inconvenient. The internal power source of the non-wired downhole component may have a short life span and/or may need to be recharged or replaced after a short duration of operation time. Additionally, the characteristics or features of the non-wired downhole component may prevent incorporation of an internal power source therein.